AC Milan took control of their Matchday 8 visit to Udinese, leading 2-0 at the Bluenergy Stadium after 73 minutes on Sunday evening. Christian Pulisic gave Milan an early advantage from Luka Modric’s free-kick delivery, before Omari Hutchinson doubled the margin midway through the second half.
Key takeaways
- Pulisic opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a right-footed finish from inside the penalty area.
- Modric supplied the set-piece assist for Milan’s first goal.
- Hutchinson struck Milan’s second in the 65th minute after Ardon Jashari’s effort was saved.
- Udinese brought on Lennon Miller at half-time, then introduced Nicolò Zaniolo and Juan Arizala after the hour.
- Ruben Loftus-Cheek replaced Hutchinson in Milan’s first change on 73 minutes.
- Jesper Karlström and Gonçalo Ramos were booked during an increasingly physical first half.
Milan turn an early opening into a firm lead
The contest began with Milan finding a decisive moment almost immediately. Gonçalo Ramos was fouled in the attacking half, and Modric’s free kick created the opening for Pulisic, who finished low into the right side of the Udinese goal in the sixth minute.
Udinese did not retreat after the setback. Hassane Kamara tested Mike Maignan from range four minutes later, earning a corner, while Davide Bartesaghi narrowly missed at the other end after Pulisic’s pass. The home side continued to find shooting positions through Kamara, Mërgim Vojvoda, Jesper Karlström and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, although Maignan dealt with the efforts that reached his goal.
Milan also had opportunities to stretch the score before the interval. Fikayo Tomori missed from close range, Bartesaghi sent another effort wide, and Strahinja Pavlovic headed past the post from a late corner. Ramos, who required treatment following an injury stoppage, was cautioned in the 39th minute. Karlström also received a yellow card for a dangerous challenge shortly before the break.
Udinese made their first adjustment at half-time, with Lennon Miller taking the place of Jakub Piotrowski. The hosts created a useful counter-attacking chance in the 69th minute, when Miller released Keinan Davis, but the forward’s left-footed shot rose over and wide.
Hutchinson provides the second decisive moment
Milan increased their advantage in the 65th minute through Hutchinson. The move began with the winger setting up Jashari, whose left-footed strike from outside the box was stopped low by the goalkeeper. Hutchinson was quickest to the rebound and finished from close range into the top-right corner.
Before that second goal, Milan had already pressed for another breakthrough. Christian Pulisic saw one effort blocked and another saved from close distance after Bartesaghi’s delivery, while Ramos fired narrowly over from outside the area. Udinese responded by sending on Zaniolo for Vojvoda and Arizala for Kamara in the 63rd minute.
With the score at 2-0, Milan introduced Loftus-Cheek for Hutchinson on 73 minutes. Udinese had won a corner shortly beforehand, but Milan’s two-goal margin reflected their sharper finishing in a match where the hosts had created several attempts without finding a way past Maignan.
